Roof platforms and carriers



Oct. 16, 1962 G. J. ROGALLA ROOF PLATFORMS AND CARRIERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 23, 1961 INVENTOR. GERALD J'- EQQALLA ATTORNEYS Oct. 16, 1962 G. J. ROGALLA ROOF PLATFORMS AND CARRIERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 23, 1961 m m M GEEALD 3'. 20a ALLA Mr/ WM ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,058,542 ROOF PLATFORMS AND CARRIERS Gerald J. Rogalla, 6317 W. Euclid Ave., Milwaukee 19, Wis. Filed June 23, 1961, Ser. No. 119,074 1 Claim. (Cl. 182-45) This invention relates to novel portable combined platforms and equipment carriers, for use on peaked or gabled roofs, primarily by firemen for fighting roof fires, but also by roofing men and others, including television antenna installers.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of simple, eflicient, and compactly collapsible devices of the kind indicated, which enable the users thereof to carry the same, in collapsed condition, as by means of shoulder straps or handles provided, in ascending ladders to a gabled roof, and quickly and easily erect the same on such roofs, provision being made for carrying equipment on the devices, such as firemens axes and other tools.

Another object of the invention is the provision of safe and stable devices of the character indicated above, which are devised to either straddle the peaks or ridges of roofs, or be installed on slopes thereof, with anchor hooks engaged over the peaks or ridges.

A further object of the invention is the provision of devices of the character indicated above, which have leg assemblies which are pivotally adjustable and vertically adjustable, and have non-slip feet which are pivoted on the lower ends thereof, for accommodation to different angles of roofs.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of devices of the character indicated above, wherein leg assemblies are equipped with roof ridge engaging hooks, instead of feet, at one end thereof.

Other important objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein, for purposes of illustration only, a specific form of the invention is set forth in detail.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a device of the present invention, in erected condition;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged side elevation, partly broken away and in section, showing said device installed on a gabled roof straddling the ridge thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of FIGURE 2, partly broken away;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view, on the scale of FIG- URE 1, of another device of the present invention;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged, contracted and fragmentary vertical section taken on the line 66 of FIGURE 5; and

FIGURE 7 is a schematic view, showing the device of FIGURE 5, in side elevation and installed on a roof slope, with the hooks of said device engaged over the ridge of the roof.

Referring in detail to the drawings, wherein like and related numerals designate like and related parts throughout the several views, and first to FIGURES 1 through 4, the device therein shown and generally designated 10, comprises an elongated rectangular frame 12, preferably composed of angle iron side and end members 14 and 16, respectively, which have outside pendant vertical flanges 18. A pair of laterally spaced, centered longitudinal braces extend between the frame end members 16, and have horizontal flanges 22 which are on a level with the horizontal flanges 24 of the side and end members. At the mid-length points of the braces 20, a transverse angle iron strut 26 extends therebetween, and has its ends suitably fixed to the vertical and horizontal flanges of the braces.

A sleeve 30 is pivoted, as indicated at 32, to a midlength part of the vertical flange 34 of the strut 26, to which are removably connected, as indicated at 36, the inner ends of adjustable control chains 38, which have hooks 40, on their free ends, and which are provided to limit the spread away from each other of leg assemblies 42. The top of the frame 12 has suitably secured thereon a plate 44, preferably perforated, and a metal mesh, which can have one or more equipment securing accessories, such as a receiver 46 for the head 48 of a fire axe 50, whereby such equipment can be carried on the device to its location of use on a roof. An adjustable strap handle 52 is secured, at its ends as indicated at 54, to the outer side of the vertical flange 18 of a frame side member 14, and can be elongated to serve as a shoulder carrying strap, whereby the device 10, and equipment, can be carried to a roof, while the hands of the user are free to grasp a scaling ladder.

The leg assemblies 42 comprise tubular upper leg sections 56 which have collars 58' on their open lower ends, which are diametrically traversed by removable headed pins 60 adapted to be held in place, as by means of cotter pins 62. The upper leg sections '56 have clevises 64, on their upper end, which straddle the vertical flanges 18 of the frame side members 14, at locations close to the end members 16, and are pivoted thereto, as indicated at 65.

The leg assemblies 42 further comprise lower leg sections 66 which have a transverse cross member 68 extending between and connected at its ends to the lower ends thereof, as by elbows 70. The lower leg sections 66 have vertically spaced bores 72 extending therethrough, which, when the sections 66 are upwardly engaged in the upper leg sections 56, are adapted to selectively receive the pins 60, whereby the lower leg sections are maintained in selected vertical adjustments relative to the upper leg sections.

Transverse spreader bars 74 extend between and are suitably fixed, at their ends, to lower portions of the upper leg sections 56, around which the control chains 38 are adapted to be looped, with their hooks 40 engaged in selected links of the chains, for retaining the leg assemblies 42 in desired spread relationships.

Feet 76 for the lower leg sections 66 comprise plates 78 having thereon upstanding pivot means, such as eyes 80, which are journaled on the cross member 68, adjacent to the lower sections 66, and have corrugated rubber or rubber-like anti-slip pads 84 on the undersides of their plates 78.

As shown in FIGURE 2, the device 10 is adapted to be installed on a gabled roof R, straddling the ridge 86 thereof, with the leg assemblies 42 spread at similar and opposite angles relative to the frame 12, with the frame in horizontal position, and with the feet 76 engaging the slopes S of the roof, at equal distances from the ridge 86, where the slopes are disposed at similar angles to each other.

The form of the invention shown in FIGURES 5 through 7, and generally designated 10a, is generally similar to the device of FIGURES 1 to 4, except that the leg assemblies 42a and 42b have lower leg sections 66a and 66b, respectively, which do not have a cross member extending therebetween, and the feet 76a of the leg assembly 42a are pivoted, as indicated at a, directly to the lower ends of the lower leg sections 66a; and the feet for the lower leg sections 66b of the leg assembly 42a are replaced by hooks 88.

The hooks 88 comprise feet 76b which are similar to the other feet, except that their plates 78b have longitudinally extending shanks 90. on the longitudinally inward ends,

which terminate in crooks 92. This arrangement provides for installing the device a on one slope S of the roof R, with the leg assembly 420 bearing upon the slope S, in either an erect or an outwardly angled position, as shown in full and in phantom lines in FIGURE 7, and with the leg assembly 42b pivoted outwardly and upwardly relative to the frame 12a, to lie upon the slope S, with its chain 38a disengaged from its spreader bar 74b, and with the crooks '92 engaged over the roof ridge 86. The lengthwise adjustability of the sections of the leg assembly 42b enables locating the device 10a at dilferent distances, along the roof slope, below the roof ridge 86.

It will be understood that the above described devices are adapted to be collapsed to relatively fiat compact forms, so that they can be easily and comfortably carried by the user both to the work site, and up to and around a roof, and, when not in use, can be stored and transported in minimum spaces.

While there have been shown and described preferred forms of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarily confined thereto, and that any change or changes in the tructure of and in the relative arrangements of components thereof are contemplated as being within the scope of the invention as defined by the claim appended hereto.

' What is claimed is:

A foldable platform for use on gabled roofs, the platform comprising:

(a) a generally rectangular frame having side and end members;

(b) leg assemblies pivotally secured to the side members of the frame adjacent the end members thereof;

(c) each leg assembly comprising a pair of legs and a spreader bar extending therebetween;

(d) at least one of the leg assemblies being pivotal in an are greater than degrees;

(e) height adjustment means for each of said legs;

(1) a. pair of elongated, flexible control elements, each having a plurality of openings therein, secured to the frame intermediate its ends, and each being of a length sufiicient to adapt it for looping about the spreader bar;

(g) anti-slip feet for each of the leg assemblies, each of said feet comprising a pivotally mounted plate having a resilient pad on its underside;

(h) said one leg assembly having gable engagement means on the feet of the legs thereof, said gable engagement means comprising shank extending inwardly from the plates which terminate in crooks engageable about said gables; and

(i) said control element having hooking means secured to its outer end and adapted to engage one of the openings therein whereby, with the control element looped about the spreader bar and hooked in itself, it serves to limit pivoting of the leg assemblies.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 403,636 Bitterly May 21, 1889 673,065 Scott Apr. 30, 1901 739,156 King May 9, 1905 1,110,700 Le Vey Sept. 15, 1914 1,248,228 West Nov. 27, 1917 2,446,093 Lambert July 27, 1948 2,782,075 Pagan Feb. 19, 1957 

